Colin Kaepernick's salary just became guaranteed. But the Broncos could still strike a deal. By Troy Renck DenverPost.com April 1, 2016 Three surgeries made one move inevitable. San Francisco had until 2 p.m. Thursday to release quarterback Colin Kaepernick, but with his base salary guaranteed for injury, the deadline passed with Kaepernick remaining in place. The Broncos have expressed interest in trading for the quarterback, but talks have cooled for multiple reasons: the acquisition price and Kaepernick's contract. Denver ranks last in available salary cap space with less than $2 million. For any deal to gain momentum, Kaepernick would have to be willing to restructure his contract. Had he become a free agent — which would have likely led to a grievance filed — the Broncos could have negotiated directly with him. Thursday's decision by San Francisco does not preclude a deal, though Denver has shown no interest in moving a second round draft pick. There remains a possibility the 49ers will keep an open mind about moving Kaepernick, who has requested a trade, but it might not heat up again until the draft begins on April 28. The Broncos continue to look at all options as they attempt to add competition for Mark Sanchez. They have expressed interest in free agent Ryan Fitzpatrick, talked internally about Tampa Bay's Mike Glennon, Cleveland's Josh McCown and Houston's Brian Hoyer, and will host draft prospects Dak Prescott and Jeff Driskel.

Broncos' Omar Bolden agrees to deal with Chicago Bears By Troy Renck DenverPost.com April 1, 2016 Omar Bolden, Denver's most effective return man last season, is joining the cavalcade of former Broncos in Chicago, signing a one-year, $760,000 deal with the Bears. Former Broncos coach John Fox continued his yearlong reunion with Denver players, adding Bolden to linebacker Danny Trevathan, long snapper Aaron Brewer and offensive guard Manny Ramirez this offseason. Bolden informed the Post of the Thursday's agreement. A fourth-round draft pick in 2012 out of Arizona State, Bolden suffered through pain and poor luck last season. He experienced multiple leg and foot injuries. A hamstring issue on Dec. 6 sidelined him for four weeks. He returned for the divisional round playoff game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, producing a 42-yard first quarter punt return in the victory. Moments later, he sprained a ligament in his right knee, ending his season. "I got the short end of the stick this year (with injuries)," said Bolden, who did not require surgery. A defensive back by trade, Bolden showed explosiveness when available. He produced the Broncos' longest punt return last season, an 83-yard second quarter touchdown burst that kept Denver within striking distance in a Nov. 8 loss at Indianapolis. He led the Broncos with 342 yards on 15 kick returns. Jordan Norwood, who set a Super Bowl record with a 61-yard punt return, took over for Bolden on special teams. The Broncos re-signed him Norwood last week, making Bolden expendable. Bolden lamented that he was unable to re-sign with Denver but said he is happy to be in Chicago. "Will miss the No Fly Zone, my teammates, coaches and, most importantly, the fans," he said. "Sad things didn't work out with Denver, but I am happy to be a Chicago Bear!"

Vernon Davis signs with Washington Redskins in an expected departure By Troy Renck DenverPost.com April 1, 2016 The return of Jeff Heuerman and a diminished role paved the way for Vernon Davis' departure Thursday. The veteran tight end signed a one-year deal with the Washington Redskins according to multiple reports. The Broncos acquired Davis and a seventh-round pick from the 49ers on Nov. 2 in exchange for Denver's sixth-round pick in 2016 and 2017. Davis arrived with promise as a player who could help stretch the defense by running seam routes. However, he struggled to learn the offense and find consistency and had no catches during the playoffs. Davis played in nine regular season games, starting four. He finished with 20 catches for 201 yards and no touchdowns. His playing time decreased following a critical dropped pass in a loss at Pittsburgh on Dec. 20. Davis, a Washington, D.C. native, is returning home. He played his first 10 seasons in San Francisco, and caught 55 touchdowns. Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said last week that he expects Heuerman, who missed his rookie season after suffering a knee injury, to return healthy when workouts began on April 18. Kubiak also didn't rule out re-signing veteran Owen Daniels, who was released earlier in the offseason to clear salary cap space. Veteran Virgil Green and Heuerman are the top players on the depth chart. "We're counting on (Heuerman) big time. You look at us releasing 'O.D.' (TE Owen Daniels) — and you never know what can happen there down the road — but when Jeff came in he was very impressive. We feel like Jeff can be a total tight end. He's not just a receiver," Kubiak said. "We are counting on him a great deal along with Virgil."

Broncos’ 2016 offseason workout schedule released By Nicki Jhabvala DenverPost.com April 1, 2016 Vacation is almost over for the Broncos. Their quest for a second consecutive title begins in earnest April 18, the start of their nine-week offseason workout program that ends June 16. Organized team activities are divided into three phases with an increasing level of permitted activities. Phase one allows for only strength and conditioning, as well as rehabilitation, and will last the first two weeks of the program. The three-week phase two includes on-field workouts but no live contact drills. And phase three, which runs the final four weeks of the program for a total of 10 days of OTAs, allows for 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills, but still no contact. Within this phase, teams can hold a mandatory minicamp for veterans. For rookies, teams are permitted to hold a development program for seven weeks, starting as early as May 9. A post-draft rookie minicamp is allowed to be scheduled the first or second weekend following the draft. The Broncos could be without two defensive starters for the voluntary workouts. Outside linebacker Von Miller was given the team’s exclusive franchise tag worth about $14 million. But he has yet to sign it as he and the Broncos work toward a long-term deal. Inside linebacker Brandon Marshall, a restricted free agent, has not signed his second-round, $2.553 million tender. The fifth-year player is hoping for a long-term deal, but is undecided if he’ll skip the voluntary workouts. Receiver Demaryius Thomas held out of last year’s offseason program before signing a five-year $70 million contract right before the deadline. Skipping the workouts is believed to give the players minimal leverage in contract negotiations, but John Elway made it clear last summer that he sees “zero value” in players missing sessions. While they can continue to workout on their own away from the team’s facility, they will obviously not be paid and will not be covered for injury. Broncos’ 2016 Offseason Program Start: April 18 OTAs: May 24-26, May 31, June 1-2, June 13-16 Mandatory minicamp: June 7-9

Max McCaffrey, former Duke WR, to work out with Broncos By Nicki Jhabvala DenverPost.com April 1, 2016 Former Duke receiver and the oldest son of Ed McCaffrey, Max McCaffrey, has pre-draft workout scheduled with the Broncos. Max recently impressed at Duke’s Pro Day, recording a 4.4-second 40-yard dash that would have ranked third among receivers and 10th overall at the NFL scouting combine in February. A former Valor Christian standout, Max had 52 catches for 643 yards and five touchdowns his senior season at Duke. In his four seasons total with the Blue Devils, he had 117 catches for 1,341 yards and 12 touchdowns. USA Today’s Tom Pelissero was the first to report of Max’s pending workout with the Broncos.

Broncos' Vance Walker talks Roman Reigns, WWE, Von Miller's dancing By Joe Nguyen DenverPost.com April 1, 2016 For a pair of former Georgia Tech defensive linemen, Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif., played host to the biggest stage of their careers. In February, Denver defensive lineman Vance Walker and the Broncos won Super Bowl 50, bringing home the franchise's third Lombardi Trophy. On the same field 10 months earlier, his former Yellow Jackets linemate Joe Anoa'i — better known as WWE superstar Roman Reigns — had his own moment. Reigns battled Brock Lesnar for the WWE world heavyweight championship in the main event of WrestleMania 31. While Reigns didn't get the fairytale ending Walker had — Seth Rollins ran in to cash in his Money in the Bank for an inpromptu title shot and came away with the belt — he stood center stage in pro wrestling's biggest showcase. On Sunday, he'll get another chance as he faces Triple H for the title at WrestleMania 32 in Arlington, Texas. Walker recently talked to The Post about being a pro wrestling fan, playing football alongside Reigns in college and his thoughts on Von Miller on "Dancing with the Stars." When did you start liking wrestling? "Ever since I moved. I used to live in Ohio and I moved down to South Carolina when I was 11 years old. A lot of my friends, they watched it and they got me into it. That was back when The Rock, he was really big, and Stone Cold Steve Austin. I do love the characters and it was always bigger than life watching it." Do you still keep up with it? "Maybe not as much lately with football and work." Have you been trying to catch up now that it's the offseason? "I have. It's hard for me to catch because on Mondays is when it airs, and if I'm out of town and coming back, I usually catch the replay or whatnot. Ever since I realized my old teammate Joe Anoa'i was on there, I try to watch it as much as I can." How crazy is it to see him main eventing WrestleMania again? "It's crazy, but it doesn't surprise me. He's right where he needs to be. It's great knowing that I learned from him (in college), but at the same time it doesn't surprise me knowing who he is." What was Roman Reigns like in college?

"The same way he is on the camera, he was the same exact way in college (laughs). He was always pretty funny. He had that leadership quality, you know? He was a funny guy, but he wanted to be successful and be the best. He'd always take care of the unit. We had the D-line and we were always pretty good because of him. "He was a character. I've had some funny incidents with him. I was a rebel ... so we had some heart to hearts. He's a real good guy." What's your plan for WrestleMania 32? "I'll probably watch it at home. ... My nephew, he watches (regularly), so he always updates me. I always catch Joe when he's wrestling. A lot of the guys I used to watch, they don't wrestle anymore." Who did you grow up watching? "Growing up I liked The Rock, Stone Cold, Chris Jericho, Undertaker. Vince McMahon's always been hilarious to me. Even though he's the owner, every time he's on, I've got to watch it. I definitely liked The Dudley Boyz, they were really funny." Did you ever want to be a wrestler when you were growing up? "No. Actually, I was a super geek. I was into science and stuff. If you asked me 20 years ago, I didn't even want to play football. Growing up I watched wrestling more than I watched football." What's the bigger deal: Being in the main event of WrestleMania or winning the Super Bowl? "I think they're both even, they're both equal, they're both accomplishments. It takes a lot of hard work for both." What does your nephew think of you playing alongside Roman? "When I was at Tech, he was 5 years old or 6, and I take a lot of pictures with my teammates. I had pictures with (former Lions wide receiver) Calvin Johnson and Joe, obviously, with me and my mom and my nephew, so he'd be in the picture. We were like, 'You know, we took a picture with Roman that one time.' "I think that's (Reigns) his favorite one (wrestler), to be honest." I bet you weren't thinking you were going to be talking about wrestling in an interview today. "This is one of my better interviews. This is one of my less stressful ones. At least you're not asking me about the Broncos' quarterback situation (laughs)." One last question: What do you think about Von Miller on "Dancing with the Stars?"

"Von's always been a good dancer, just seeing him at practice. He's got a lot to learn as far as the different styles. One thing I've liked about the show — I've never watched it before until he got on it — he's got a lot of promise. He might win another championship, you know?"

Kaepernick saga reminiscent of Kyle Orton circa 2011 By Mike Klis 9News April 1, 2016 If the Denver Broncos are to get their intended target in Colin Kaepernick, they must hope the quarterback and new San Francisco 49ers head coach Chip Kelly don’t pull a John Fox-Kyle Orton and fall for each other. Although Kaepernick’s $11.9 million salary became formally guaranteed with the 49ers following the end of the NFL’s business day Thursday, the Broncos remain interested in acquiring the quarterback. Broncos’ general manager John Elway was well aware San Francisco was not going to release Kaepernick by the time his salary was to become fully guaranteed on the start of business Friday. There were two reasons. One, Elway understood Kaepernick has too much trade value for the 49ers to release him without getting at least a draft pick in return. Two, Kaepernick has injury protection in his contract and is currently rehabbing three surgically-repaired injuries that made his release impractical. All along, Elway has been patient in his pursuit of Kaepernick. He acquired veteran quarterback Mark Sanchez three weeks ago in part because it allowed Elway to not get desperate. The next deadline for acquiring Kaepernick is likely when the NFL Draft begins April 28. The 49ers have the No. 7 overall pick that day, while the Broncos by virtue of their Super Bowl title (and New England forfeiting their first-round pick) don’t select until the final pick in the first round, No. 31 overall. Any trade involving Kaepernick figures to involve draft picks, which is why April 28 becomes a likely deadline. Kaepernick is considered more of a frontline option than Sanchez as the Broncos seek to replace Brock Osweiler, who bolted for free agency and the Houston Texans, and the retired Peyton Manning.. The Broncos interest in Kaepernick comes with the caveat they want either the quarterback to take a pay cut that would pay him $14.3 million in 2016 ($11.9 million in salary; $2 million in a roster bonus if he is on the active roster for 9 games, and a $400,000 workout bonus), or for the 49ers to eat some of his salary before dealing him. The 49ers open their offseason program Monday – two weeks earlier than the Broncos because Kelly is a new coach. Although Kaepernick wants out of San Francisco, he is expected to show up at the 49ers facility Monday because he has a $400,000 workout bonus at stake. Which could be trouble for the Broncos if Kelly and Kaepernick get in the same room and, you know, get along. The Broncos went through a similar situation with Orton in 2011. Prior to the lockout that year, Orton let it be known he wanted out of Denver because the organization seemed intent on moving forward with Tim Tebow at quarterback.

The Broncos were complying with Orton’s wishes and were ready to ship him to the Miami Dolphins as the lockout ended. The catch was the Dolphins needed to rework Orton’s contract that was to pay him $8.8 million in 2011, the last year before he reached unrestricted free agency. Talks were far enough along that the Broncos told Orton to skip the first “voluntary” practice on July 26. A deal was almost done but then contract talks hit a snag. Orton was told to report to the Broncos’ first official training camp practice on July 27. During the morning session that day, Orton threw the ball great while Tebow was chucking the ball erratically. Between the morning and afternoon practice sessions, Fox, who was just beginning his first year as the Broncos’ head coach, pulled Orton aside and asked the quarterback to stay. He did. Orton was the Broncos’ season-opening quarterback but after starting 1-4, Tebow came in to pull off one miraculous, late-game victory after another. But Tebowmania is beside the point in regards to Kaepernick. The point is both Orton and Kaepernick wanted out. But after Orton and the Broncos’ brass got in the same building, icy feelings thawed. The Broncos must hope Kelly doesn’t have the same effect on Kaepernick next week. If the Broncos don’t get Kaepernick, they can try to acquire a veteran like Cleveland’s Josh McCown, Houston’s Brian Hoyer or Tampa Bay’s Mike Glennon, or go forward with Sanchez and second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian while also drafting a quarterback within the first two or three rounds.

April Fools' or April fact, the Broncos' offseason rolls on By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com April 1, 2016 April 1 has arrived with the usual bevy of fake news and April Fools' punchlines that traditionally reel in a few trusting, ambushed souls along the way. In that vein, it’s an opportune time to look at some of what’s happened in the Denver Broncos’ offseason thus far and separate the April fact from April Fools’. The quarterback depth chart: It’s an April fact that the Broncos will add at least one more passer to the depth chart, and more likely two more, but it’s also a bottom-line fact that the team would be more than willing to open training camp with Mark Sanchez, Trevor Siemian and a draft pick to be selected later (this month) on the field. Sanchez II: It’s also an April fact that the Broncos feel better about Sanchez’s potential in their offense, as well as Siemian’s development, than a lot of the people who say they need to add another proven veteran quarterback. That doesn’t mean they won’t add another veteran passer who fits the budget -- keep an eye on Josh McCown's status with the Browns because while he has a cap figure of over $5 million for the season, many in the league believe the Browns will release him -- but it is why the Broncos' decision-makers keep using the words “patience" and “our pace" when they talk about quarterbacks. Colin Kaepernick: It is an April Fools' sentiment that the Broncos, currently with $1.62 million worth of salary-cap space, ever could, or should, simply add the remaining five years of Kaepernick’s current contract in a trade. The contract is now, and has been from the start, the biggest consideration in any discussions about adding him to the roster in Denver. It wouldn’t take just a slight re-structure for it to work, the Broncos would have to release multiple players or re-do multiple contracts just to get Kaepernick’s $15.89 million salary-cap charge for the 2016 season under their cap to complete any trade. It means that not only would the Broncos have to do plenty of cap gymnastics simply to make the deal, but Kaepernick would then have to agree to what amounted to a reconstruction of the remaining five years of the deal that now includes a guaranteed $11.9 million base salary for the coming season. Couple that with the fact Kaepernick is coming off three separate surgeries and it all represents a high-priced question mark. And if the Broncos were going to do all it would take to add him, they had better be sure he's a possible long-term solution, because they would have to jettison some other players to do it. Free-agent departures: It is an April Fools' notion the Broncos, or any other team, can’t replace players who depart in free agency with draft picks. Good teams do it all the time. And in the Broncos’ case, the thought is illogical given that the departures that have caused the most hand-wringing among some in the team's faithful were their own draft picks. Malik Jackson was a fifth-round draft pick by the Broncos, Danny Trevathan was a sixth-round pick, Brock Osweiler was a second-round pick and David Bruton Jr. was a fourth-round draft pick. Draft and develop, rinse and repeat. No-shows: It’s an April fact that when the Broncos open their offseason program on April 18, the team is prepared for the idea that linebacker Von Miller -- who Denver used the franchise player tag on -- and

linebacker Brandon Marshall -- who was given a second-round tender as a restricted free agent -- won’t be among the players participating. The team’s past two position players with the franchise tag -- Ryan Clady and Demaryius Thomas -- each skipped the entire offseason program, OTAs and minicamp included. And Marshall has told multiple teammates he is considering staying away in hopes of landing a long-term deal. That will cause some ripples in the pond, since John Elway expressed plenty of frustration last year when Thomas stayed away, offering last April that there was "zero value" in Thomas skipping the workouts when the wide receiver carried the franchise player tag. Once again a team with $1.62 million worth of cap room will need a significant creative solution to make everybody happy, including the team’s decision-makers. And with the ...: And it's an April fact that when the draft is said and done, the Broncos would like to have, among their 10 picks (at the moment), a quarterback, a defensive end who can push for playing time immediately, another tackle, a running back and a safety who could play in a pinch.

Broncos to take closer look at Robert Nkemdiche By Jeff Legwold ESPN.com April 1, 2016 The Denver Broncos will have plenty of draft prospects make the rounds through their suburban complex in the coming days and weeks. But Thursday, they planned to play host to one of this year’s prospects who has plenty of question marks in tow as Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche was on their pre-draft docket. There were times, based on his physical characteristics and potential, that Nkemdiche was considered a potential top-10 prospect in this draft. At 6-foot-3½ and 294 pounds, Nkemdiche often shows top-tier athleticism, but the in-game production does not always match. He had seven tackles for loss and three sacks this past season, well behind the national leaders in those categories or even the leaders in the Southeastern Conference, to go with three tackles for loss and two sacks in 2014. In his three seasons at Ole Miss, Nkemdiche had six sacks. So, on the field he’s certainly a football riddle. The Broncos will always believe fiery defensive line coach Bill Kollar can unlock a player’s talent and improve effort, but Nkemdiche also comes with some off-the-field baggage as well. He was arrested in December, in Atlanta, for marijuana possession after he had fallen 15 feet through a hotel window. He was suspended from the team’s bowl game, then elected to enter the draft as a junior. At the scouting combine this past February, Nkemdiche denied using marijuana and told teams he was drunk. “It was a rash decision by me, uncharacteristic," Nkemdiche said at the combine. “That’s not who I am. That’s not what I stand for. That’s not what my family stands for. It was embarrassing for me and my whole family, the Ole Miss family." Asked if he believed teams believed him when he said it was an isolated incident, he said: “They believe me. It’s the truth and it’s what I’m going to keep moving forward with. I’m going to stick to my story. That’s what it is. Asked if he was under the influence of any substances at the time of the incident, Nkemdiche said: “Yes. I was drinking. I was drunk." He also answered “no sir, no sir" when asked if he had used marijuana that night. But with the 31st pick of the first round – the final pick of the round – Nkemdiche would get some consideration from the Broncos, who have taken Bradley Roby and Shane Ray the last two years, prospects who had off-the-field questions that the Broncos researched. Roby was cited just before the 2014 draft for operating a vehicle under the influence when he fell asleep in his car while it was parked. He was later released by police. The Broncos looked into the incident, as well as a 2013 disorderly conduct arrest, and decided Roby was worthy of their first-round pick.

Roby has been a key situational player in their defense during the last two seasons. The Broncos also elected to trade up two spots in last year’s draft to select Ray, who was cited for marijuana possession in a traffic stop just days before the draft. Ray was not arrested in the incident and police on the scene said he was not impaired and Ray was allowed to drive away from the scene. The Broncos looked into that incident as well and decided Ray, the No. 10 player on their draft board last year, was worth the selection at No. 23. Having lost Malik Jackson in free agency with Antonio Smith also an unrestricted free agent, Broncos coach Gary Kubiak said at the league meetings that the team will certainly target defensive linemen in a draft that is deep at the position. “Bill [Kollar] can be creative in there in how we play those guys,’’ Kubiak said. “Obviously, we’ve got four guys on our roster right now that have played a lot of football for us. We’ve got to get better there in the draft and that’s something we plan on doing.’’

Picking the worst-ever free-agent signing for all 32 NFL teams By Staff ESPN.com April 1, 2016 AFC EAST Buffalo Bills Offensive linemen Langston Walker and Derrick Dockery To me, this came down to three players: Walker (signed in 2007), Dockery (also signed in 2007) and defensive end Mark Anderson (signed in 2012). I'll give the nod to both Walker and Dockery because they will be forever tied in Bills history. In his return to the NFL, general manager Marv Levy signed Walker to a five-year, $25 million deal and Dockery to a seven-year, $49 million deal. They both started all 32 games in Buffalo before being cut in 2009. -- Mike Rodak Miami Dolphins Wide receiver Ernest Wilford The Dolphins thought they were getting a player on the rise in 2008 when they signed the former Jaguars wideout to a $13 million contract. Instead, they got a player who quickly flopped and had only three receptions in Miami. The Dolphins got rid of Wilford after one year but paid at least $2 million per reception because $6 million of Wilford's contract was guaranteed. -- James Walker New England Patriots Defensive tackle Jonathan Fanene The former Bengals defender signed a three-year, $9.85 million contract in 2012 and never played a regular-season down for the Patriots. The sides ended up in a grievance over bonus money as Fanene, whom the team said didn't disclose information related to his injured knee at his physical, didn't even make it through his first training camp with the club. For a team that is generally meticulous in its personnel work, this was a rare slip-up, with accountability to be shared between the Patriots and Fanene himself. -- Mike Reiss New York Jets Quarterback Neil O'Donnell In 1996, the Jets made a colossal mistake by giving a five-year, $25 million contract (pretty big at the time) to O'Donnell, who was coming off a Super Bowl appearance with the Steelers. The Jets went 1-15, although O'Donnell lasted only six games because he blew out a calf muscle ... in pregame warm-ups. His run in New York lasted only two years, as Bill Parcells ran him out of town after a mediocre '97 season. O'Donnell went 8-12 in two seasons, and it cost the Jets $11 million. -- Rich Cimini

AFC NORTH Baltimore Ravens Cornerback Domonique Foxworth A knee injury caused the Ravens' top free-agent signing in 2009 to never live up to his contract. Baltimore gave him $16.5 million in guaranteed money, and Foxworth delivered four interceptions and 18 games over three seasons. A close runner-up was offensive tackle Leon Searcy, who never played a down for Baltimore after receiving a $3 million signing bonus. He partially ruptured his triceps in his left arm in training camp and then reinjured it in practice two months later. -- Jamison Hensley Cincinnati Bengals Wide receiver Michael Westbrook The Bengals' history of largely avoiding signing outside free agents to massive contracts helps them here, but one failure they did have came in 2002 when the former Washington wideout agreed to a three-year, $4.5 million deal that contained a $450,000 signing bonus. It was an optimistic signing, as the Bengals turned to the 30-year-old to help mentor young receivers Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Peter Warrick. It didn't pan out. Westbrook was released by Thanksgiving of his only season in Cincinnati. It was the last time the former first-rounder played in the NFL. Westbrook had 57 catches for Washington in 2001, but he caught only eight passes in nine games, his lone season with the Bengals. -- Coley Harvey Cleveland Browns Wide receiver Andre Rison This one is easy: when the Browns signed Rison to a $17 million contract in 1995. To pay the $5 million signing bonus, Art Modell had to go to different banks to borrow the money. Rison was a disaster on the field. Modell dug himself deeper in debt and the next season Cleveland's team was in Baltimore. -- Pat McManamon Pittsburgh Steelers Center Sean Mahan The Steelers don't always spend big in free agency, so when in 2007 they signed Mahan to a five-year, $17 million deal to follow the lineage of Steelers' greats at center, the league took notice. But the team soon learned Mahan got overpowered at the line of scrimmage. The Steelers traded Mahan back to Tampa Bay after one inconsistent season. The failed Jay Riemersma signing was also noteworthy, but it pales in comparison to the disappointment surrounding Mahan, considering the money invested. -- Jeremy Fowler AFC SOUTH

Houston Texans Safety Ed Reed A great deal of fanfare accompanied the Texans' courtship of Reed. The team tweeted about owner Bob McNair and general manager Rick Smith flying to pick up Reed in McNair's private jet. They gave him a three-year deal worth $15 million. The Texans' tenure of one of the greatest safeties to play the game was a catastrophe. Houston was supposed to be a Super Bowl contender, but instead went 2-14. Reed was injured to start the season and never gave the Texans what they needed. He was benched for Shiloh Keo and released the week after he said the Texans got "outcoached and outplayed" against the Cardinals. -- Tania Ganguli Indianapolis Colts Safety LaRon Landry Colts general manager Ryan Grigson brought Landry aboard in 2013 with hopes he would recreate his productive season with the Jets. Instead, Landry fell short (no interceptions), was suspended four games for using performance-enhancing drugs and eventually was released after two seasons with the team. -- ESPN.com staff Jacksonville Jaguars Linebacker Bryce Paup The Jaguars gave the 30-year-old Paup a six-year, $22 million deal in 1998. He had 65.5 sacks in eight seasons with Green Bay and Buffalo but only 7.5 in 31 games with the Jaguars. He was unhappy with the way he was used in Jacksonville because he was asked to drop into coverage, which wasn't exactly in his wheelhouse. -- Mike DiRocco Tennessee Titans Wide receiver Yancey Thigpen The 1998 Oilers were receiver needy, as the franchise has typically been since it relocated to Nashville, and made the former Pittsburgh Steeler the league's highest-paid receiver with a five-year, $21 million deal. They got only 18 starts out of him over three years, with 91 catches for 1,430 yards and nine touchdowns. Runner-up: Guard Andy Levitre, who got a six-year, $46.8 contract with $16 million guaranteed in 2013 and was traded for a sixth-round pick after two poor seasons. -- Paul Kuharsky AFC WEST Denver Broncos Defensive end Jarvis Green There are some candidates to be sure. There was Travis Henry's $22.5 million deal in 2007, but he took an $11 million reduction in pay after one season and was gone weeks later in '08. And there was Daryl

Gardener's seven-year, $35 million deal -- he was released after one season that included only 15 tackles, two suspensions by the team and wrist surgery from a fight at a pancake house. But in the end Jarvis Green is the winner. He was one of Josh McDaniels' free-agent signings in 2010 -- four years for up to $20 million -- and was released following his first training camp and never played a regular-season down for the team. Green received a $2 million signing bonus to go with a guaranteed salary of $755,000 and never lined up in a game that counted in the standings. -- Jeff Legwold Kansas City Chiefs Linebacker Kendrell Bell The Chiefs never came close to getting their money's worth from Bell. They signed him from the Steelers in 2005 to a seven-year, $35 million contract, which was good money at the time. For that, the Chiefs received three years (but only two as a starter), 2.5 sacks and minimal impact otherwise. -- Adam Teicher Oakland Raiders Wide receiver Javon Walker Wait, with so many others like Larry Brown, Desmond Howard and Aaron Brooks littering the streets of Silver and Blackdom, why does Walker rank above (below?) the rest? Money. After signing a six-year, $55 million free-agent deal with $16 million guaranteed with Oakland in 2008, Walker caught all of 15 passes for 196 yards and one touchdown in eight games, thanks in part to a cranky knee. Then, he had to be talked out of retirement that offseason by none other than Al Davis before returning in 2009 for three games ... with no catches, one punt return and a fumble. That was it. -- Paul Gutierrez Editor's note: Cornerback DeAngelo Hall was previously listed as Oakland's worst free-agent signing, but Hall actually came to the Raiders via trade before signing a seven-year, $72 million deal and then playing only eight games with the team. San Diego Chargers Wide receiver David Boston Offensive tackle Jared Gaither is a close second, but the award goes to Boston. The workout warrior signed a seven-year, $47 million deal with the Chargers in 2003. Boston did not mesh well in the locker room. He was suspended for one game for conduct detrimental to the team after not joining his teammates for a postgame speech. Boston put up respectable numbers, totaling 70 receptions for 880 yards and seven scores. However, the Chargers won only four games that year, and Boston was traded a year later to the Dolphins, where he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. -- Eric D. Williams NFC EAST Dallas Cowboys Kicker Mike Vanderjagt

There are plenty of candidates over the years, like Bryant Westbrook receiving $1 million for one game or signing Ryan Young to be a starting tackle despite a knee condition, but Mike Vanderjagt wins. In 2006, the Cowboys finally made an investment in a kicker, paying Vanderjagt a three-year, $4.5 million deal that included a $2.5 million signing bonus. It was a failure from the beginning. He made only 13 of 18 tries and was just 2-of-5 on attempts from 35 yards or more. The Cowboys released him and replaced him with Martin Gramatica. In 2007, the Cowboys drafted Nick Folk in the sixth round and he made the Pro Bowl as a rookie. Now the Cowboys have one of the best kickers in Dan Bailey and gave him $7.5 million guaranteed in 2014. -- Todd Archer New York Giants Linebacker LaVar Arrington Signed to a seven-year, $49 million contract before the 2006 season, Arrington was a 27-year-old pass-rusher in his prime and happy to be out of Washington. The Giants believed he'd be a cornerstone edge rusher for their future, but he tore his Achilles tendon in the sixth game of the 2006 season and never played again. The Giants were fortunate to have a core of strong pass-rushers like Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora in the pipeline, which was the main reason they were able to win the Super Bowl the following season. But the Giants had high hopes for Arrington who, for reasons beyond his control, was never able to live up to the contract they gave him. -- Dan Graziano Philadelphia Eagles Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha Wait, you say, what about Byron Maxwell, the cornerback the Eagles traded a year after signing him to a six-year, $63 million contract? Fair question. But Asomugha got $60 million over five years, including $25 million guaranteed. And he was terrible. He visibly jogged to avoid having to tackle receivers. He reportedly ate lunch in his car to avoid interacting with teammates. Asomugha was the poster child for the 2011 "Dream Team" disaster and remains at the top of this list. -- Phil Sheridan Washington Redskins Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth The Redskins have plenty of candidates, but one stands out: Haynesworth. He starred in Tennessee, but he also had red flags when it came to motivation and it did not work for him in Washington. The Redskins gave him $41 million guaranteed and a deal worth up to $100 million in 2009. For that, the Redskins received 20 games, 53 combined tackles and 6.5 sacks, plus a training camp of will-he-finally-pass-the-conditioning-test stories in 2010. -- John Keim NFC NORTH Chicago Bears Wide receiver Sam Hurd

Forget about money. The Bears signed Hurd for only three years, $5.15 million following the 2011 lockout. No, the problem is football turned out to be Hurd's hobby. His real passion: drugs. The former Dallas Cowboy was arrested in December 2011 on federal drug charges after authorities caught him in a sting trying to purchase cocaine and marijuana from a supplier in North Texas to launch a drug empire in the Chicagoland area. Hurd received a 15-year prison sentence and currently resides in a Texas penitentiary. Not exactly the bang for their buck the Bears expected. -- Jeff Dickerson Detroit Lions Quarterback Scott Mitchell It wasn't Mitchell's first contract with the Lions that was the issue -- it was moderately-priced and he made the playoffs in two of three seasons. The second contract with Detroit that Mitchell signed in 1997, a four-year deal reported to be worth $21 million with an $8 million signing bonus, was a mess. Mitchell started the next 18 games for Detroit after that, throwing for 20 touchdowns and 17 interceptions with a 9-9 record. He was replaced by Charlie Batch after two games in the 1998 season and never played for the Lions again. He's an interesting case because the Lions made the playoffs in three of the four seasons he started nine or more games, but the Lions made the playoffs in Mitchell's first season mostly under Dave Krieg, who replaced Mitchell after he suffered an injury. -- Michael Rothstein Green Bay Packers Defensive end Joe Johnson In 2002, the Packers gave the former Saints defender a six-year, $33 million contract that included a $6.5 million signing bonus. What they got in return was two sacks in 11 games over two injury-filled seasons before they cut him. It was one in a long line of mistakes made by Mike Sherman during his tenure with the dual role of coach and general manager. Johnson never played another down in the NFL after the Packers dumped him in June 2004. -- Rob Demovsky Minnesota Vikings Cornerback Fred Smoot After the Vikings gave him $34 million over six years in 2005, Smoot embarked on a disastrous two-year voyage remembered more for what he did off the field than what he did on it. He had only two interceptions in two years, and was a central figure in the 2005 "Love Boat" scandal that heaped embarrassment on the franchise. Smoot's most memorable on-field moment in Minnesota? It's probably when then-Panthers receiver Steve Smith pretended to be rowing a boat in the end zone shortly after the Vikings' scandal; Smith torched Smoot for 201 yards that day. -- Ben Goessling NFC SOUTH Atlanta Falcons Defensive end Ray Edwards

In 2011, the Falcons signed the defensive end to a five-year, $27.5 million contract. They released him the following year reportedly as a result of his poor attitude. Edward had 3.5 sacks in 25 games with the Falcons after totaling 29.5 sacks in five seasons with the Vikings. He left football to pursue a boxing career, where he is 10-0 with six knockouts and one draw. -- Vaughn McClure Carolina Panthers Defensive tackle Sean Gilbert In 1998, the Redskins didn't match Carolina's $46.5 million offer sheet on the player they put the franchise tag on, so they got Carolina's first-round picks in 1999 and 2000. The Panthers ended up giving up two first-round picks and paid a ton to a player who got a combined 15.5 sacks in four seasons. Gilbert never came close to being the disruptive player he was in 1993, when he had 10.5 sacks and made the Pro Bowl for the Rams. -- David Newton New Orleans Saints Wide receiver Albert Connell Though I considered a few cornerbacks (Dale Carter, Jason David and Brandon Browner), Connell wins out because of the bizarre way his career ended in New Orleans -- and in the NFL, for that matter. The Saints signed him to a five-year, $14 million contract in 2001, with a $2.5 million signing bonus. But he caught only 12 passes in 11 games before he was caught on camera stealing a total of $4,363 from teammate Deuce McAllister's car and locker. Connell claimed it was a prank and that the story was blown out of proportion, and McAllister declined to press charges. Still, it was enough for the team to suspend Connell and eventually release him after one year. -- Mike Triplett Tampa Bay Buccaneers Wide receiver Alvin Harper The Bucs gave Harper a four-year, $10.66 million contract in 1995 after he caught 124 passes for 2,486 yards and 18 touchdowns in five seasons with Dallas. Harper, however, wasn't playing next to Michael Irvin in Tampa, and he caught only 65 passes for 922 yards and three touchdowns in two seasons. He was cut after the 1996 season and caught only two passes for the rest of his career. -- Mike DiRocco NFC WEST Arizona Cardinals Running back Emmitt Smith The three-time Super Bowl champ and four-time rushing champ signed a two-year, $7.5 million contract with the Cardinals in 2003 and was a shadow of the back he once was. In two seasons he ran for 1,193 yards -- fewer rushing yards than he had in a single season nine times. He averaged just 3.3 yards per carry with the Cardinals, and the team went 10-22. -- Josh Weinfuss Los Angeles Rams

Wide receiver Drew Bennett The Rams have had more than their share of high-prices misses in free agency over the years, including the misguided belief that Jamie Duncan was a suitable replacement for London Fletcher. But they didn't publicly sell any of their pickups harder than Bennett. With franchise legends Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt near the end of their time in St. Louis, the Rams pegged Bennett as the next in line at the position. In 2007, they gave Bennett a six-year, $30 million deal with $10 million in guarantees. In exchange, the Rams got 34 catches for 379 yards and three touchdowns in only 15 games over two seasons. The Rams' search for adequate replacements for Bruce and Holt continues to this day. -- Nick Wagoner San Francisco 49ers Wide receiver Mario Manningham After 160 catches for 2,315 yards, 18 touchdowns and a clutch Super Bowl catch for the Giants, the Niners inked Manningham to a two-year, $7.37 million contract in 2012. He repaid them with 51 receptions for 534 yards and 1 TD in 18 games, 13 starts, over two seasons. A knee injury suffered late in his first year with the Niners sealed his fate and suddenly, he was out of the league. -- Paul Gutierrez Seattle Seahawks Quarterback Matt Flynn The Seahawks signed him to a three-year, $26 million deal during the 2012 offseason. At that point, Flynn had started a total of two games in his four-year NFL career with the Packers. Russell Wilson beat him out for the starting job, and Flynn threw a total of nine passes as a member of the Seahawks. He got $10 million in guaranteed money, which averages out to $2 million per completion. Flynn took a jab at Brock Osweiler's new deal earlier this offseason, but he made out quite nicely with his contract from the Seahawks four years ago. -- Sheil Kapadia

Amateur football hits linked to later-life difficulty By Jimmy Golen Associated Press April 1, 2016 A preliminary study by Boston University researchers shows a link between the number of hits a player takes in youth, high school and college football and the development of cognitive difficulties as an adult. The authors warn that more research is needed before parents or policy-makers draw conclusions about the safety of amateur football. The study was published Thursday in the Journal of Neurotrauma. Dr. Robert Stern of the BU School of Medicine says the study is the first of its kind to look at the connection between the total number of head impacts an athlete sustained and later-in-life difficulties such as depression, apathy and behavioral dysfunction. But he stressed it is meant to spur further research and not guide individuals when deciding whether football is safe for them.

What's next for 49ers' Colin Kaepernick now that 2016 salary is guaranteed? By Lindsay H. Jones USA Today April 1, 2016 Colin Kaepernick remains a member of the San Francisco 49ers, but for how long? The quarterback's 2016 base salary of $11.9 million will become guaranteed Friday since the team did not release him in advance of Thursday’s 4 p.m. ET transaction deadline. However that does not preclude the Niners from trading Kaepernick at a later date, perhaps during the NFL draft, which begins April 28. A new team would then assume the salary or, in a more likely scenario, Kaepernick would agree on a new contract, perhaps with a reduced salary. That would need to be the case for the quarterback-needy Denver Broncos, who appear to be Kaepernick’s most serious suitor, but currently have less than $2 million in salary cap space. Though trade talks between Broncos general manager John Elway and 49ers general manager Trent Baalke have cooled in recent weeks, they could reignite closer to the draft, when Elway could choose to start dealing some of his 10 picks. Next up for Kaepernick will be reporting to the Niners' Santa Clara, Calif., headquarters for the start of the offseason conditioning program Monday. Attendance is voluntary, but Kaepernick, who may not yet be physically recovered from offseason shoulder, knee and thumb surgeries, has a $400,000 bonus that stipulates he must participate in 90% of the offseason conditioning program and all of the team's mandatory minicamp activities and training camp. Whenever Kaepernick reports, it will be the first real chance for him to talk football with new head coach Chip Kelly and discuss how he might fit into the offense. That could be the first step in repairing whatever hurt feelings might remain between Kaepernick and the team after a tumultuous 2015 that saw him lose his starting job to Blaine Gabbert midway through the season. Kaepernick’s agents requested permission to seek a trade in February, following months of tension with San Francisco's front office. The Broncos will not start their offseason program, with new quarterback Mark Sanchez, until April 18. ***

Bell: Retired NFL players joining effort to prevent, treat effects of head injuries By Jarrett Bell USA Today April 1, 2016 Jamie Dukes sounded a bit impatient Thursday as he described the process behind his big vision. Dukes, who played 10 years as an NFL offensive lineman but is better known for his successful broadcasting career, is co-founder of a company that he hopes will be a game changer when it comes to treating concussions and symptoms he believes are linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). But first things first. If a procedure that treats head injuries with anesthesia and other agents ever becomes the standard treatment that Dukes foresees, it would have to pass muster through clinical trials. Before that, it’s a matter of raising dollars for research. “With all of the concussion dollars out there, they are geared to find out what CTE is and whether it can be detected in living persons,” Dukes told USA TODAY Sports. “But it’s hard to find dollars for treatment. "That’s sort of weird.” This is new territory for Dukes, who partnered with anesthesiologist Jarrod Huey and others to form the Drip Fusion Institute, which is in the process of formulating grant proposals. While Dukes is quick to acknowledge his lack of a medical background, there is no denying that he brings a certain type of driving force to the table with his passion and front-row perspective of how ex-players are dealing with aftereffects of head trauma. Amid this environment of increasing awareness about head injuries and long-term implications, it’s not surprising to hear him lament the numerous retired players dealing with depression and other issues. “Someone has to advocate for these guys,” said Dukes, 51, who considers himself at risk for long-term effects stemming from head injuries suffered while playing football. “Am I supposed to wait around for 10 or 12 years? I’m not inclined to sit around and wait. If nobody’s in a rush, it’s because they’re not affected.” Dukes, who completed his playing career in 1995, isn't the only former player motivated to seek solutions on a vast landscape linked to concussions. Marvin Washington, who played 11 NFL seasons as a defensive end through 1999, is involved with an effort engaged in clinical trials to use cannabidiol as a treatment for brain diseases having symptoms associated with CTE. Shawn Springs, a former Pro Bowl cornerback who played from 1997 through 2009, co-founded a company, Windpact, that has designed protective helmet padding for a variety of recreational sports and activities and aims to someday make a breakthrough with football helmets. “I don’t want to be Apple,” Springs told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday. “I want to be the Intel inside, the chip.”

Springs was at the Congressional hearing in mid-March when Jeff Miller, the NFL’s senior vice president for health and safety, acknowledged a link between CTE and football (significant league officials had previously denied linkage). Springs believes the ensuing firestorm spread as Miller’s response was taken out of context, but he understands why. “The awareness has really increased over the years,” said Springs, 41, whose late father, Ron, was an NFL running back for eight years. “But there’s probably more hysteria than awareness. Some people want to end football. I think we’re only going to get smarter. “When my dad played, they’d go have a beer after practice. Now it’s like you’ve got to get your electrolytes up after practice.” Springs said he's been moved by the suicides of players who were found to have suffered from CTE. He said his father was friends with Dave Duerson and Andre Waters. In his final NFL season with the New England Patriots, Shawn Springs was a teammate of late Hall of Fame linebacker Junior Seau. “For me,” Springs said, “it’s been a matter of trying to determine what can I do to give back?” The idea to enhance the helmet padding, which becomes more rigid upon impact, was inspired by an infant’s car seat built with a similar technology. Springs spent more than two years researching prospects after his retirement. The padding had been developed for use in cycling, lacrosse and hockey helmets, he said, while his company still tries to make inroads in the football industry. “We still have a long way to go,” he said. Yet Springs, like Washington and Dukes, is hardly lacking in motivation to make a difference.

Six things that happened this week that could affect the draft By Nate Davis USA Today April 1, 2016 It was a fairly quiet week in the NFL, the biggest news perhaps the lack of news on Colin Kaepernick. But the wheels are always in motion, and they keep the league's landscape fluid. Here's how recent developments (and rumors) could alter the draft: 1. Kaepernick is still a 49er, but will he remain one? Apparently, Thursday really wasn't a deadline to move the purportedly disgruntled quarterback, whose $11.9 million salary for 2016 is now guaranteed. That doesn't necessarily mean Kaepernick will call San Francisco home by the time the draft ends. But for now, there's little reason for potential suitors — and that probably means John Elway and the Denver Broncos — not to bide their time before revisiting offers for Kaep. If a top passer falls to Elway at pick No. 31 (or close to it), expect Denver to pounce. But if Mark Sanchez is still atop the Broncos' depth chart heading into Round 2, that might be the de facto deadline to acquire Kaepernick. 2. Tennessee is casting a wide net: Titans GM Jon Robinson, who owns the draft's No. 1 overall selection, recently told USA TODAY Sports' Tom Pelissero that the team is "realistically" considering 10 players. Robinson and his brain trust checked out T Laremy Tunsil at Ole Miss' pro day Monday and took a close look at DB Jalen Ramsey the following day at Florida State. However Robinson has made no secret of his desire to deal down, perhaps with a team in need of a quarterback that wants to jump ahead of the Cleveland Browns at No. 2. Given that possibility, expect Robinson to continue doing plenty of homework on Notre Dame T Ronnie Stanley, Oregon DE DeForest Buckner, UCLA LB Myles Jack, Florida CB Vernon Hargreaves and probably even receivers that could be targeted in the second half of Round 1. 3. Are the Eagles really considering a QB? The ink is barely dry on contracts just signed by Sam Bradford (two years, $35 million) and Chase Daniel (three years, $21 million). Yet team executives, including owner Jeffrey Lurie, visited with Carson Wentz, Jared Goff, Paxton Lynch and Kevin Hogan this week. NFL clubs are only allotted 30 personal visits with draft prospects, so if this is some kind of smokescreen on Howie Roseman's part, it's a rather elaborate one. And remember, the Eagles surrendered their Round 2 selection when they traded for Bradford in 2015, so they sure seem to be signalling serious quarterback interest — Stanford's Hogan notwithstanding — at the No. 8 slot. 4. Is Myles Jack's decision not to run a 40 a big deal? Maybe? The former UCLA linebacker missed most of last season with a meniscus tear yet looked fairly explosive (40-inch vertical leap and 10-foot, 4-inch broad jump) at the Bruins' pro day March 15. However Jack's agent scrapped a plan for him to do a 40-yard dash Friday, and he's unlikely to run at all before the draft. One general manager told NFL.com, "It could hurt (Jack). And if it's because he isn't 100% off a September scope, that brings another whole set of questions." Yet other decision makers don't think it's a big deal (Example A: Todd Gurley last year). What likely will be a big deal in Jack's circuitous pre-draft journey is how his knee looks at the NFL medical recheck in Indianapolis on April 14-15. 5. The Browns are keeping their options open at QB: Cleveland reportedly hosted Memphis' Paxton Lynch on Monday, just days after signing Robert Griffin III. The Browns have been widely expected to

take a quarterback with the No. 2 pick and may yet do that given the relatively light financial commitment to RG3. But Lynch could still be in play with the 32nd pick, which means Cleveland could covet another player in the first round or may be trying to create a market for their first pick. 6. Don't expect the Packers to pick a tight end early: Green Bay GM Ted Thompson took a rare foray into free agency, signing athletic TE Jared Cook on Monday and potentially solving one of his roster's few holes — at least for 2016. The draft again looks thin at tight end with top prospect Hunter Henry of Arkansas likely a second rounder at best. Thompson isn't one to reach in the draft anyway, and now he doesn't need to.

Broncos reportedly still want Colin Kaepernick, but there's one big issue By John Breech CBSSports.com April 1, 2016 If Broncos general manager John Elway proved one thing last year, it's that he's not afraid to ask a star quarterback to take a pay cut. Just ask Peyton Manning. Back in March 2015, Elway talked Manning into accepting a $4 million pay cut to help the cash-strapped Broncos. The ploy ended up working out when Manning agreed to a new deal that cut his 2015 base salary from $19 million down to $15 million. Apparently, Elway's hoping he can make lightning strike twice in the same place, and that's now the biggest issue in a possible Colin Kaepernick trade. According to Mike Klis of KUSA in Denver, the Broncos are still very interested in Kaepernick, but only if the 49ers quarterback is willing to take a pay cut. The fact that Kaepernick's $11.9 million base salary for 2016 became guaranteed at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday hasn't done anything to deter the Broncos in trade talks, because they never planned to pay him that kind of money. So what kind of money do the Broncos plan on paying Kaepernick? According to Bleacher Report's Jason Cole, the Broncos asked the quarterback to agree to a new deal that would pay Kaepernick a $7 million base salary in 2016. Obviously, the deal would only work if the 49ers and Kaepernick were both on board. On Kaepernick's end, it makes zero sense to agree to that because his $11.9 million is already guaranteed for 2016, so there's no reason to take any less than that. The 49ers quarterback also has a $400,000 workout bonus tied into his 2016 pay and a $2 million roster bonus that he'll get if he's active for nine games. That means Kaepernick could make a total of $14.3 million in 2016, which is a gigantic number for a Broncos team that's currently only $1.62 million under the salary cap for the upcoming season. If Kap doesn't agree to a new deal, there's almost no way the Broncos can take on his contract. Also, it's not crazy to think that Kaepernick was offended by the Broncos' $7 million offer. After all, this is the same team that offered $16 million per year to Brock Osweiler, who has less experience and is arguably not even as good as Kaepernick. On the 49ers' end, even if Kaepernick did agree to the pay cut, the Niners likely wouldn't trade him unless they get what they want in a deal.

As Will Brinson wrote on Thursday, there's no reason for the 49ers to agree to anything unless they get what they think Kaepernick's worth. If the 49ers think Kaepernick's worth a second-round pick, then they can wait for the Broncos to offer that, and if the offer never comes, then San Francisco can just hold onto Kaepernick. The bottom line is that the Broncos still need a quarterback, and if they want that quarterback to be Kaepernick, they're going to have to promise him more money and offer the 49ers a draft pick that they can't refuse. However, don't be shocked if that offer might never comes. Elway won a title in 2015 with a gimpy Manning, and as CBS Sports NFL Insider Jason La Canfora pointed out this week, Elway's not "going to lose a staring contest with the 49ers for Colin Kaepernick." Basically, Elway would start Mark Sanchez before he'd overpay the 49ers for Kaepernick. Although many people viewed April 1 as the possible deadline for a Kaepernick trade -- the day his $11.9 million base salary becomes guaranteed -- the more realistic deadline is May 1. If the Kaepernick's still on the 49ers' roster after the April 28-30 NFL Draft, he'll likely be staying there for the 2016 season.

Report: Broncos asked Colin Kaepernick to take big pay cut in trade By Chris Bahr FoxSports.com April 1, 2016 There hasn't been much chatter about the possibility of the Denver Broncos trading for San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick lately. And now we might know why. According to Bleacher Report, the Broncos are asking Kaepernick to take a sizeable pay cut to make a trade happen: @JasonColeBR Source indicated that #Broncos have asked QB Colin Kaepernick to take a pay cut to approximately $7M for 2016 season if #49ers trade him. Kaepernick is set to earn an $11.9 million base salary --�� a figure that became guaranteed at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday -- in the upcoming season. He has been seeking a trade from the Niners, despite new head coach Chip Kelly expressing a desire to keep him in the offense. @MikeGarafolo If you didn't believe the Niners are totally fine with keeping him and letting him compete, you should now. Kaepernick, 28, is coming off an injury-plagued season in which he played just nine games. His play has slipped since leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in the 2012 season and to the NFC title game in the 2013 season. After losing Peyton Manning to retirement and Brock Osweiler to free agency, the Broncos acquired Mark Sanchez from the Philadelphia Eagles. However, Broncos GM John Elway signaled that wouldn't be the end of the QB shopping. Earlier this week, the defending Super Bowl champions were linked to Cleveland Browns backup Josh McCown and Houston Texans backup Brian Hoyer. But Kaepernick has been the source of most of the speculation.

Mike Shanahan: RG3 and Me By Jenny Vrentas MMQB.com April 1, 2016 After four decades of coaching, Mike Shanahan’s day-to-day routine is a bit different these days. Now it includes trips to the Virgin Islands, Baker’s Bay in the Bahamas, Hawaii and the like—and visits with his six grandkids (a seventh is on the way). But the two-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, now 63, always keeps a keen eye on the NFL. Last week, that involved watching the last quarterback Shanahan coached, Robert Griffin III, signing with the Browns after being released from the team where he was once the hopeful savior. The futures of Shanahan and Griffin were once tied together in the nation’s capital, but after Griffin’s 2012 rookie season when he shook up the league, the optimism quickly evaporated. From his home in Denver on Tuesday afternoon, Shanahan talked with The MMQB about what went wrong in Washington, what it will take for Griffin to be a successful starter in the NFL again and the possibility of getting back in the game himself—just not as a head coach. VRENTAS: What was your reaction to the Browns signing Griffin? SHANAHAN: I was thinking that in Robert’s best interest, he needed to go to a place where the head coach had the background of running different style offenses. When you take a look at Robert’s background, and what he was able to accomplish in 2012, there was no quarterback that played as well as he did that year. I thought that going to a system that accentuated what he did in 2012 would give him the ability to get back to where he was. People say a lot, well, people caught up to the read-option, but when you take a look at a guy like Russell Wilson in the last two years, he ran the ball 118 times in 2014, and averaged 7.2 yards per carry, and he ran it the next year 103 times. He had more yards than Robert did as a rookie, and Wilson did that in 2014, two years after it was said, people caught up to the read-option. I think the truth is that Colin Kaepernick didn’t run the option anymore, and neither did Robert, and Russell Wilson was very smart at how to slide and how to throw the football away. He continues to put pressure on defenses that makes him one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL. But going back to your question, I think Robert, if he gets with the right system, and accentuates his positives, he can do some of the things he did in 2012, even though he really hasn’t taken a lot of snaps in the last two and a half years. VRENTAS: How do you think new Browns head coach Hue Jackson will do coaching Griffin? SHANAHAN: If you take a look at [Jackson’s] background, he has run a lot of different schemes as a coordinator and an assistant coach, depending on who his quarterback was. Wherever Robert went, he had to go to a guy who would run a system that gave Robert the best chance to be successful. I think Robert now, after a couple years, he looks back at 2012 and probably can see a little bit differently than he did in his second year. I don’t think he realized some of the things he did were so spectacular, and how hard it was on defenses to slow up that running game and take advantage of the play-action game. I think for him to have success in the NFL, he’s going to have to combine what he did in 2012 and some of the new things he will be coached to do. VRENTAS: How different would Griffin’s career in Washington have been if he hadn’t hurt his knee as a rookie, and instead of recovering from ACL and LCL surgery, had a full offseason to transition into an offense that didn’t rely so much on his college principles?

SHANAHAN: I don’t think the injury had anything to do with it. When we started 2013, in the preseason, Dr. [James] Andrews gave him 100 percent full go. He told me at the start of training camp that there was no need to hold him back. The only reason we kept him out of the preseason games is Dr. Andrews didn’t think it was good for him to be taking shots. What I decided to do, because we practiced at game-day speed, I thought it was in Robert’s best interest to do team work, not against our defense, but after the practice was over with so he wouldn’t have to plant his knee awkwardly. But Robert took every snap in that camp and had every mental rep you could ask for in the offseason. Going into 2013, at least our first three or four games of the season, we did try to stay away from the read-option and some of those things he did so successfully just to make sure he was okay. But we could see after the first three games, and in Week 4 against Oakland we went into a play-action no-huddle type offense, and we just barely squeaked by the Raiders. Going into that bye week, over the next five games we were able to go back to some of the things we did his rookie year because that was natural for him. What wasn’t natural, like in the first three games, was for him to sit back and drop and throw. It had nothing to do with the injury. It had to with his background in a drop-back attack. The rest is kind of documented what happened after that, that he really believed that he wanted to throw the ball more and run less, and that wasn’t going to work with me running the offense. That’s one of the reasons Jay was hired: He was going to run a drop-back attack, and Jay has done that. Robert wasn’t completely comfortable in that, and I think that has proven out over the last couple years. VRENTAS: Your careers were closely tied, but it didn’t work out for either of you in Washington. Is there anything you would have done differently? SHANAHAN: There are always things you would have done differently, but after the first year and the best year in the history of the game, it’s hard to get much better than that. And then all of a sudden we go into the next year, and it doesn’t work out that way, and I think the key is, what is Robert going to do now with Hue? Are they going to adapt a system that he did very well in, in 2012 and some of 2013, or are they going to run an offense that features a drop-back attack? His success will [depend on that]. It’s not a slam at Robert at all, because that is what he has done all through high school and college. That’s what he’s learned. The NFL is hard enough, there is a lot of time and a lot of repetition, and it does take time if you are going to switch back to a drop-back attack. Robert did some great things in his rookie year, and I think Hue will take advantage of some of the things he did do well. VRENTAS: If you believe he needs to run an offense with a read-option component, is it possible for him to have a long and successful career in the NFL given the injury risks? SHANAHAN: I think you have to answer the question in your mind, and you just said something right there—can he stay healthy in the read-option attack? As a rookie, the two times Robert really got injured, one was when he had a concussion against Atlanta. He dropped back to pass but he scrambled to the right and held onto the ball, and (Sean) Weatherspoon knocked him out at about the (5)-yard line. The drop-back pass (would have been) a touchdown, but he wound up having a concussion. The other time he got hurt was against Baltimore, on a second-and-19, when he scrambled pretty good for a 13-yard gain, and cut back to the inside, and (Haloti) Ngata hit him. That’s when he lost his LCL. Then in the playoffs, when he got hurt against Seattle, he lost his LCL and his ACL. None of that had to do with the read-option. I think the read-option is what kept him healthy. He had faked the read-option where people were playing the run and he was just outstanding with his play-action passes. He got better with the drop-back passing game, because the secondary coverages we saw were fairly simple. And everybody said, you know, we can’t run the read-option anymore because they’ve it taken it away. The

only guy that’s really run it consistently is Russell Wilson, and he’s had more success the last two years than even the first two years. VRENTAS: You’re bullish on the read-option attack still having a place in the NFL. SHANAHAN: People really just don’t really understand how tough it is on a defense and how you have to be very disciplined to work against it. One of the things you do with the read-option is, if there is any question that the defensive end or outside linebacker is going to take you, you give it to the back. Russell Wilson doesn’t miss many reads. If there is a question if he should run it or pitch it, he pitches it. If you take the pitch away and you take the back away, then Russell Wilson runs. And Wilson doesn’t care how many yards he gets. He gets as many yards as he can, and then he falls to the ground. You will never see him get hit running the read-option, or very seldom, because he knows when to give it, when to keep it, when to slide, and that’s what quarterbacks who run the read-option have to do. He knows there is nothing more important than him staying healthy. For all these analysts that say, oh, you can’t run it because you take too many hits, well, that was true about Robert. Robert did take too many hits. One thing I didn’t do a very good job of is trying to emphasize to him that you can’t take a hit; you’ve gotta slide, you are too valuable. But was hard for him, because that’s not what he did in college. He was such a good athlete, and he was used to being faster and quicker and sometimes bigger. But in the NFL, these guys all can run and they all can hit, so you have to give yourself up. He was very competitive, and he didn’t want to do that. VRENTAS: What is the key to Robert having success again in the NFL, if you think that is possible? SHANAHAN: No. 1, he is going to have to do things that the coach thinks give him the best chance to be successful. Before, he thought it was the drop-back passing game. Going into his second year, he thought that was going to be a natural fit for him. That’s up to Hue Jackson now, and I think that Hue will do an excellent job of giving him the chance to run a system that utilizes his talents. Robert is going to have to be all-in, and he should be right now, given the fact that his options are limited. Hue will make that decision, and Robert has to buy in. If he doesn’t buy in, then Robert will be out of the league. VRENTAS: Did Jackson talk to you at all about signing Robert? SHANAHAN: I didn’t talk to anybody about Robert. The only guy I really talked to about Robert was Jeff Fisher. I called Jeff about three weeks ago on another issue that had nothing to do with Robert. As we were talking, I was asking him about free agency, and I said, ‘If you do talk to Robert, let me tell you something about him. If he’s committed to do what you guys want to do, and he goes back to running what we did in 2012, I think you’ve got the right guy at the right time, because he might be willing to do that now.’ Jeff had a meeting to go to and he said, ‘Hey Mike, I’m going to call you back on this; that is really interesting.’ But I never did talk to him again. When I tell people what Robert did, and I said this to Robert (this offseason): There is a reason why you did something nobody else could do. Take advantage of it. Don’t look at yourself as being a running quarterback. Look at yourself as being a guy that an opponent has to commit everybody on defense to stop the read-option and you can take advantage of that in the play-action game and the drop-back game. VRENTAS: There was a report that John Elway had some concerns about Griffin’s character after making some phone calls. Did you talk to Elway about Griffin, and if so, what did you say?

SHANAHAN: I talked to John one time last summer over at the house, but that was not just about Robert, it was about football in general. I don’t really remember our conversation, except that I said I think Robert will go back to running the offense we ran in 2012, which is not the offense we ran in Denver. I told John that we ran strictly an offense that Robert was used to, or that he had run when he was at Baylor, and we didn’t do a lot of the principles that we did with Denver except for the zone running scheme. That was about the only thing that we had in common, so it was hard to say how Robert would do in the Broncos system when it was so different than the system we ran with John. And that was the length of our conversation. But I didn’t talk to John (about Griffin) this offseason. I had not one phone call by anybody this year, didn’t speak to anyone about Robert, except when I called Jeff. VRENTAS: Do you think a couple years of humbling has changed Griffin’s mindset as to the type of quarterback he wants to be? SHANAHAN: If he doesn’t, he won’t be in the league. There is a reason he had that type of year (as a rookie). He is a heck of an athlete and a heck of a quarterback, but one of the reasons why he was so good is he was in that system his whole life. I can’t speak for Robert over the last few years, I just know that if I’m a quarterback and I go through 2014, and I go through 2015, and I really don’t get a chance to play, whatever the coach wants me to run, I’m going to run it to the best of my ability. If it is more read-option, he has to learn how to protect himself and throw the football away. If it’s not, he has to go and try to become the best quarterback he can be. We’ll see where that takes him. VRENTAS: You are also responsible for Kirk Cousins being in Washington. The organization just franchise tagged him to keep him under center for at least another year. What does his future look like? SHANAHAN: You can see what he did as a rookie in 2012, the three games he started, and 2013, how he played. If you take a look at each snap and who was healthy and who was not, he has the intangibles to separate himself from a lot of quarterbacks. Not only does he have the physical skills, he’s got the intangibles. He will keep on getting better. Part of that is because he is a very intelligent guy. Recall is very quick. His ability to know where everybody is and locate people very quickly is one of the best in the NFL. He’s had success without even having a lot of reps, and he’s got the reps now. The more reps he has and the better support staff that they give him on both sides of ball, you’ll see Kirk Cousins’ career keep going up. He’s a slam dunk for the future. VRENTAS: You think he’s the long-term answer at QB for Washington? SHANAHAN: I know he is the long-term answer. He has the ability to win a Super Bowl. That’s his talent. You get the supporting cast around him, and he will win you a Super Bowl. Unless you are around him everyday, you really don’t know, but he really does have those intangibles. When you watch him every day, you can see that he has what it takes not only to lead other players, but the confidence to play big and handle adversity. Being a guy that takes on the criticism without even blinking an eye. It’s hard to find guys like that. VRENTAS: You talked with one of your former teams, the 49ers, this offseason about their head-coach opening. How serious were those talks? SHANAHAN: We talked the year before, and it was really more about Kaepernick and where I thought he was and what I thought you could do. This year it wasn’t as much about the quarterbacks, it was the organization overall. Those are the types of things that you enjoy doing, because you get the chance to

talk to different people. At the end of the day, if it works out and they are on the same page, you feel great. But if not, you don’t feel bad because you let them know what you thought it took to win a Super Bowl. If they aren’t 100 percent behind it, then you go a different direction. One of the reasons why I love San Francisco so much is my past history with it, knowing these players, knowing the town, knowing what the organization is all about and what it has accomplished, that was fun for me. That made it a little bit more intriguing than some of the other jobs. VRENTAS: What was the opinion on Kaepernick that you shared with them? SHANAHAN: I just went back to his first three years, with Harbaugh, when it was a run-oriented team with a top five defense. With a run-oriented team with a top-five defense that was as successful as it had been, you’re going to be in the Super Bowl every year. I asked why, in 2014, did you guys go to a drop-back passing attack with Kaepernick, with Harbaugh still being on the staff? What was the thought process there? Why did you go in a different direction? You look at Harbaugh’s last year, and they got away from the read-option almost completely and they went to a drop-back game. And last year, they try to change it up, they had a different coordinator with the passing game and the running game, and when you do that you have to have a play-action game that complements both of them. So I thought that Colin Kaepernick’s last two years were very tough. VRENTAS: Would you like to be a head coach in the NFL again? SHANAHAN: Well, the one thing as you get older, you are not trying to get yourself a job as much as you are trying to, if you do land a job, you know it gives you a chance to win a Super Bowl. It would have to be the perfect job for me. I was lucky enough (in the 1990s) to go to an organization like San Francisco that had won five Super Bowls in 13 years, where you could see the way things were done as an offensive coordinator to give you the chance to win a Super Bowl. Once you experience that, you understand the importance of that opportunity. When I was offered the Denver job the first time, at the end of the 1992 season, I didn’t go because I didn’t think, after the interview, there was a chance to win a Super Bowl. Two years later, when I talked to Pat Bowlen again, I thought, this team has a chance to win the Super Bowl. But to answer your question, would I really want to be a head coach? Not really. I’d like to be involved with some team to help them in some way to get them to the next level, if the right opportunity came. The more I look at it, I think I could help a team more at this point in my career as a consultant. Not as a head coach, but helping ownership put a team together, because you do feel you have an eye for what it takes to win a championship.

Shanahan’s comments on Griffin hard to reconcile with Denver’s lack of interest By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk April 1, 2016 Former Washington coach Mike Shanahan recently claimed that he advised Rams coach Jeff Fisher to pursue quarterback Robert Griffin III. Fisher didn’t. And maybe it’s good that Fisher didn’t, because it’s impossible to reconcile Shanahan’s endorsement with Denver’s failure to even bring Griffin in for a visit. Last week, Mike Klis of 9News.com in Denver reported that Broncos G.M. John Elway didn’t pursue Griffin due to character concerns. Surely, Elway’s assessment of Griffin included the opinions of his former head coach, who also happens to be the mentor of current Denver coach Gary Kubiak. There’s clearly a pipeline still in place between Kubiak and Shanahan; as Kubiak said on January 30, “I saw Mike last week, spent some time with him.” Although Shanahan said that no other team called to ask for his opinion about Griffin, it’s possible (if not likely) that Elway and Kubiak already knew Shanahan’s views. Indeed, Denver’s current quarterback quandary didn’t emerge out of the blue. Even though Peyton Manning didn’t retire officially until March, the Broncos knew well before then that they didn’t want him back. They also knew that Brock Osweiler possibly would leave, which means they needed to have a plan in place for landing a new quarterback. Regardless of when the conversation happened, Elway has accomplished far too much as a General Manager and Kubiak has been too successful as a coach to not factor in the well-informed opinions of Shanahan regarding the most important position in the game. Which means that, no matter what Shanahan says he told Fisher, Shanahan didn’t nearly say enough to Elway and Kubiak to get them to even bring Griffin in for a meet and greet.

Broncos reportedly still want Kaepernick By Mike Florio Pro Football Talk April 1, 2016 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick’s $11.9 million base salary for 2016 officially is guaranteed. Unofficially, the Broncos remain interested in trading for him. Mike Klis of 9News.com reports that the defending Super Bowl champions have an ongoing interest in Kaepernick. Per Klis, G.M. John Elway knew that the 49ers wouldn’t be cutting Kaepernick before the salary guaranteed vested as of 4:00 p.m. ET on Thursday. (Elway also possibly realized that Kaepernick couldn’t be cut before the April 1 trigger because he apparently isn’t healthy.) The Broncos would want Kaepernick to reduce his compensation package to facilitate a trade. Failing that, Denver would look for the 49ers to pay some of the salary. Much of the final outcome depends on whether Kaepernick changes his mind about playing in San Francisco, and whether the 49ers truly want him around. Unless both sides embrace the possibility of making the most out of Kaepernick’s talents with coach Chip Kelly running the team, a divorce seems inevitable; the only questions are when it would happen, how much another team would give up to get him, and how Kaepernick’s contract would be adjusted.

Pro Day workout creates buzz around German WR prospect By Zac Jacskon Pro Football Talk April 1, 2016 There are plenty of reasons a 40-yard dash time posted at one of the various Pro Day workouts taking place across the country would draw attention or warrant a second look. A 6-foot-4, 227-pound wide receiver getting clocked in 4.4 seconds warrants a second look. That happened Thursday at Florida Atlantic when Moritz Boehringer, a German who’s only been playing football for four years, got his chance to work out in front of NFL scouts from 26 teams. Boehringer scored 16 touchdowns last season playing for a team called the Schwäbisch Hall Unicorns in Germany. He had an 80-inch wingspan and a 39-inch vertical jump on Thursday, and he did 17 reps on the 225-pound bench press. NFL.com reported that the Packers, Broncos, Vikings and Cardinals have shown at least some level of interest in Boehringer, who’s been training in Florida with Anquan Boldin and Pierre Garcon. NFL scouts will need to see more than a highlight video of Boehringer running past overmatched defenders in Germany, but his size and speed combo will get him at least a longer look and possibly an invitation to a camp.

Broncos announce offseason workout program schedule By Ben Swanson DenverBroncos.com April 1, 2016 The Broncos will make their first steps toward returning to the field in preparation for the 2016 season on April 18 when their offseason workout program begins. The schedule for the offseason workout program, a voluntary nine-week period consisting of limited activities, will stretch until June 16. First day: April 18 OTA Offseason Workouts: May 24-26, May 31, June 1-2, June 13-16 Mandatory Minicamp: June 7-9 There are three phases of the offseason program, each with varying levels of permitted activities. Phase One consists only of strength and conditioning and physical rehabilitation and lasts for two weeks. Phase Two lasts three weeks and includes on-field workouts. In those workouts, teams may conduct individual player instruction and drills as team practice conducted on a "separates" basis. There may not be any live contact or team offense vs. team defense drills. Phase Three encompasses the final four weeks of the program and includes an allowed total of 10 days of organized team practice activities, or "OTAs." No live contact is permitted, but teams may conduct 7-on-7, 9-on-7 and 11-on-11 drills. During Phase Three, teams are also allowed to hold one mandatory minicamp for veteran players. Teams are also allowed to hold a rookie football development program for a span of seven weeks, which can begin on May 9, though it cannot be held on weekends, except for one post-NFL Draft rookie minicamp. The rookie minicamp may be held the first weekend or the second weekend after the draft.

Sacco Sez: The story behind "Mr. Irrelevant" and Paul Salata, its inventor By Jim Saccomano DenverBroncos.com April 1, 2016 The first thing anyone reading this would ask is, "Who in the world is Paul Salata?" He is one of the great characters in NFL history, and his time in pro football spans an era of eight decades, one way or another. I vividly remember conversing with Denver Broncos President & CEO Joe Ellis back around 1984 or 1985, when Joe was the Marketing Director for the team. We were lamenting the fact that at that time there did not seem to be as many characters in the game, like guys nicknamed "Bulldog" or "Slingin' Sammy" or "Johnny Blood," referring to Clyde Turner, Sammy Baugh and John McNally, respectively. But there are still characters in the game, and one of them, who has been involved in pro football since 1949, actually crosses paths with the Broncos this year in an official capacity. I refer to Paul Salata. He was an excellent player at the University of Southern California in the late 1940s and played for the San Francisco 49ers in the All-America Football Conference and for Baltimore in the NFL, as well. He played for San Francisco in 1949 and split the 1950 season playing for the 49ers and the Colts, each franchise's first season in the NFL after the AAFC folded. Later, he would join the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders in 1952 and the Ottawa Rough Riders in 1953. Salata was a fine receiver and became a CFL all-star with that 1952 Calgary team. When the first iteration of the Baltimore Colts franchise folded, Salata became draft-eligible and he was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers, a 10th-round draft choice in 1951. A football fan can definitely win bar bets by asking someone to name the 49ers receiver who scored their last touchdown as members of the AAFC and their first as members of the NFL. That would be Salata, and there is nothing "irrelevant" about that statistic. Incidentally, like a lot of USC athletes before him, he dabbled in the movies, as the studios were always looking for athletic guys to play such roles in films. Salata played Tony Minelli in the original "Angels in the Outfield," and when William Holden won an Academy Award for "Stalag 17," Salata played one of Holden's fellow prisoners of war. He became a successful businessman after his playing career but always stayed close to the game, and in 1976 he created a tradition that continues today, 41 years later: "Mr. Irrelevant."

It was based on the theme that the very last selection in the NFL draft is irrelevant, which of course it is not. Like all teams, the Broncos have had last-round choices who became very successful, including Ring of Famer Karl Mecklenburg and safety Tyrone Braxton. And Executive Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager John Elway is on record saying, "We cherish the bottom of the draft," adding, "We don't draft All-Pros. We develop All-Pros." But over the last 41 years, teams and players have embraced and had a good time with Salata's Mr. Irrelevant and the accompanying "Irrelevant Week" festivities. This year the Irrelevant Week XLI activities will take place June 3-5 in the usual Newport Beach, California location. It is more difficult than you might think to actually have the last pick in the draft. Even if a team wins the Super Bowl, it might have traded the pick away, or supplemental picks granted by the NFL might jump past that team. But this year the circumstances are such that the Denver Broncos are on the clock with the scheduled last pick in the draft, putting Mr. Irrelevant in orange and blue. Salata, now 89, has had his daughter Melanie running the day-to-day activities for the last 25 years, but he is still present at all the activities. Since his first year in pro football was 1949, that might give him the longest active period of involvement current in the game. And there is nothing irrelevant about that!